The New Normal

Over the last few months our lives have been disrupted and put on hold, but we are now slowly adapting to the new normal which is a lot different from the normal we used to take for granted.

            As they go back to school, children are facing a very real new normal where their interactions with other kids and teachers are now quite different from what they were before. Will there be negative emotional effects because of the new school reality due to the demands of the current epidemic age? Like many people, I believe that it can’t be otherwise. At this time our young grandchildren need to be reassured that they are loved and that the world will emerge from this health crisis stronger than before, just like they will.

            I don’t know about you, but I always keep my keys on a table next to my front door. Next to it is a list of things I need to get or do next time I step out. I add to it as needed.. Now, of course, for the last months my mask is also on the table to make sure I don’t leave without it. Like everyone else a face mask is now part of my routine and I’ve gotten used to it.  There is no other choice if we are to have any hope of conquering the virus once and for all.

            It amazes me how creative people can be when it comes to masks. I mean the variety that people wear. A great many people wear the classic surgical type, others wear only black masks or white ones, but not everybody. Yesterday, as I was walking along I saw a man wearing a skin-coloured mask featuring a bright smile. It made me take a second look and smile. Then of course you see the masks of animal lovers featuring a dog or a cat. And the array of designs of the material used for masks is amazing. Last week I saw a woman wearing a mask with a touch of lace. I suppose she needed to feel feminine as she made her way through the new normal. There are even masks with some glitter.

            My mask is simple. It’s white with a bright rainbow to signal that hope is not lost, and that this too shall pass.

Going Forward

As I said last week, there is no reason life cannot begin to go forward despite the virus if we manage the dangers. After essentially spending a lot of my time in quarantine since the start of the pandemic, my hair was in dire need of professional TLC so I called my regular hair salon. My favorite hairdresser was happy to hear from me and I made an appointment after being assured that all the necessary measures to disinfect everything in the place were being taken. I and all the other clients would be protected from covid.

            I was wearing my mask and used a hand sanitizer upon entering as I do everywhere I go these days. My hairdresser was also wearing a mask and provided me with a light clear plastic cape instead of the heavier type we have all experienced at salons or barbers. This, she explained, is another precaution for keeping clients safe because these light capes are used only once then discarded.

            As she got busy cutting and styling my hair, she recounted the hardship of being out of work for a few months. But, she added, things are slowly going forward as more and more people are again calling because they need help with their hair.

            About time, I say. I was pretty tired of seeing the hair of the guys on television getting longer and longer. Now they again look like they used to look before the virus. It’s comforting to see that things are somewhat normalizing after a rather significant bump in the road of life.

            We are going forward but not necessarily as before. My hairdresser confided that two of her regular clients caught the virus and did not survive. While she found it rather distressing she said that all those who have remained safe, like she has, should be very grateful to have been spared.

            Amen to that.  

ALTERED LIVES  

The pandemic has certainly altered our lives, has it not? Now when we leave the house, we have to make sure we are taking our facial masks along and that we keep our distance from the people we see. It’s a must if we are to stay safe and conquer the virus once and for all. If you’re like me, you dream of the day you can finally socialize the way we all did before the enemy invaded our lives.

I think that we are all weary of the restraints the virus has put on our social lives. I know I am. While not so long ago I often visited my grandchildren and joyfully embraced them, now a few months into the pandemic we are all aware of the possible danger lurking in closeness. So family socializing is in the backyard or remote via video. Not too gratifying when you’d prefer hugging those you love.

But I console myself that we are fortunate to have communication devices that make it possible to see the faces of family members and friends far away, something that was not available in what seems just a few years ago.

Yet, despite the virus, life is still going on. Case in point, a couple of weeks ago I lost a filling, something that had to be attended to without delay. So I called my dentist who was still only seeing patients for emergency work. I was a little apprehensive since dental work is ultimately very close and personal.

Fortunately he made sure he protected himself and me by wearing a face shield over a mask in addition with gloves. He assured me that everything I would touch had been properly disinfected.  After washing my hands, I had to gargle with a special formula and the work went ahead. While I don’t especially cherish going to the dentist, I was happy that my tooth was quickly repaired and I left grateful for all the precautions that kept me safe.

            Where there’s a will, there’s a way as the adage says. There is no reason life cannot proceed despite the virus if we manage any possible danger.

New World

I live within walking distance to a hospital, so hearing ambulance sirens is not surprising in my neighborhood. But in the last few months these sirens have increased in number and frequency as the world has and is still battling the pandemic. For many people it has meant fear and a lack of hope, while for others it means that this too shall pass if everyone does their part to make sure the virus is not spread.

            In my world many people believe the latter. In July several houses around here began to put up colorful Christmas lights that come on as soon as the sun goes down. I must say that it brightens everyone’s spirit. It reminds us that we will get through this. All we need is patience, solidarity and hope. That is certainly clear when I see all the people in the large park along the lake where I walk every day. They are either playing with their children or in conversation while socially distancing themselves, often in circles where everyone brought their own chair. I do join one such group from time to time. It helps me focus on thoughts other than fear of coming down with the virus.

But the most telling are those who gather to share hearty laughs. When you hear that enthusiastic laughter, you know that after-pandemic possibilities are very clear, that all is not lost.            

As we wait, I believe that our new world will be one where people have finally realized that we all need to support and help each other in myriad ways if we are to face the future renewed. So many people are suffering as a result of the challenge facing all of us. Some of that suffering is emotional because people have lost family members, while others suffer because they have lost their jobs and income.

We only need to look around us to determine where to focus our support.

Brain Health

As the years pile on, all of us begin to notice that we may be undergoing subtle changes. Listening to those around me, one change that seems to worry people most has to do with poor memory. Or what I call forgetting to remember.

            We’ve all experienced it. We walk into the kitchen and for a moment totally forget why we came in. Of course, by just stepping back a little the reason promptly comes back. A senior moment or a senior fart, as some people say, are two ways people express it. It makes some people worry that they are on their way to dementia. But as experts explain, dementia would be if you forgot what the kitchen is all about. 

            Senior moments happen to everyone at some point, and as a rule are not serious. But as we age, if we want to help our minds to remain healthy we must make sure our lifestyle is also healthy. With all we now know about the negatives effects of bad habits such as smoking, drug and alcohol abuse, it’s surprising to see people still abusing themselves. I always feel sad when I see older people standing outside buildings or shopping centers so they can smoke. I always wonder why they don’t take advantage of the many avenues available to get rid of the addiction once and for all.

           Keeping the mind in shape requires effort just like we need to take steps to keep the body working well for as long as possible. Exercising regularly is good for the body as well as the mind. So is a healthy diet. In addition, experts say it’s important to keep socially active and challenge the brain by learning something new, doing puzzles and having hobbies. Personally, I would add that laughing is a marvellous habit at any age, but especially as we age.

            I know an 80-something fellow who has always kept his sense of humor despite serious life challenges along the way. And his memory remains keen, especially when it comes to jokes. I admire him because I have trouble remembering jokes but I can laugh at his. Just as I laughed at my son’s remark when I asked him if he had read a recently published book. He replied with a straight face that he had not, but that he had a good reason: He first had to get through Green Eggs and Ham.

            Enjoy the beauty of the summer before it disappears.

Time For a Bit of Fun

So I said to a friend, I have nothing to say. She replied: you should blog about that!

People don’t stop laughing because they grow old, they grow old because they stop laughing. And besides, laughter is contagious. Share a joke with your spouse, your neighbor or your friend and the day is bound to be brighter.

Notice at entrance to park: Please pick up your dog’s alternative fact.

My grandchildren think I’m very funny. One of the reasons I can make them laugh is that I’m quite relaxed when I’m around them. They fill my life with love and it colors my world mirthful. Although I do not feel like it at all times, I do make an effort to look at the funny side of life.

            I bought a packet of peanuts, and on the packet it says ''may contain nuts.'' I’d be annoyed if a fruit fell out!  

Nobody wants to be around people who are always complaining about something or the other, no matter their age – or perhaps especially when they’re on the downhill side of 50. The longer we live, the more physical problems we face, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a bit of sunshine even in a long cloudy cycle.

So the man said, My mother-in-law fell into the wishing well. Boy, was I surprised that it actually worked.

The cliché Laughter is the Best Medicine may be overused, but that does not make it less true. Medical research shows that laughter has an immediate positive effect on the main organs of the human body. In my experience those who have mastered the art of laughing at life and its foibles have an easier time than people who focus all their energy on the less-than-perfect moments we all experience. One of the reasons is certainly that laughter relaxes the whole being.

Slept like a log last night. Woke up in the fireplace.

It seems to me that to be happy, we have to dwell on the good things in our lives at this moment in time. And laugh at the rest. An arthritic knee should not prevent us from enjoying life. And we can all use humor to diffuse the irritations of life.

Two doctors are conferring. One of them said, She hasn’t been able to get pregnant, but with both of us on her case, that should change.

Notes on medical charts:

The patient refused an autopsy.

            On the second day, the knee was better, and on the third day disappeared completely. 

The patient has been depressed ever since she began seeing me in 2010.

The patient has no past history of suicide.     

THE RULES

I went into a grocery store a few days ago to get some necessities while wearing a mask and making sure I stayed at least six feet from other people. Most people I saw were wearing masks and social distancing as well, even the cutest guy who couldn’t have been older than two. He was helping his dad while wearing a mask suited to his face. He was learning at a young age that we live in society and that rules are needed.

            I mean, drivers follow the rules of the road by stopping at red lights and traveling on the proper side of the road because if they didn’t they could kill themselves and others. Yet, some of these people refuse to follow the rule of wearing a mask during our pandemic because it infringes on their liberty. Does that mean that they are really okay with endangering their lives as well as those of others? Does that mean that at a time when the number of positive covid cases and deaths keeps climbing it is perfectly okay to spread the virus far and wide?

            That’s certainly something I don’t understand at a time when the news which has been dire for so long may not be getting any better anytime soon. It seems that the younger generation feels it’s entitled to gather close to others while partying without wearing masks despite warnings from medical experts. They believe that if they get the virus it won’t be so bad because they are young, but doctors are now seeing serious long-term effects of the virus after people recover and warn that we don’t know everything about covid. Why would anyone still want to fight for perceived rights rather than make sacrifices now to protect their health in the long term?

            It would certainly help the world come out of the darkness that has been assailing all of us for far too long now.